Dyslexia Evaluation and Tutoring

Are you concerned that your child may have Dyslexia? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We specialize in comprehensive Dyslexia testing as well as one-to-one tutoring using the Barton Reading & Spelling System, an Orton-Gillingham based curriculum.

For each child that we evaluate we provide an individualized written report that summarizes not only the results of testing, but also provides extensive recommendations for treatment at home and at school. Our detailed Psychoeducational Assessment reports provide the information required for obtaining IEP’s and 504 plans in both public and private schools.

Dyslexia is a chronic condition defined as impairment in phoneme/grapheme knowledge and rapid word recognition. Dyslexia does not improve without targeted intervention, and affects not only how a person reads but also the ability to spell words, retrieve words, articulate words and to remember certain facts. The prevalence rate of Dyslexia is estimated to be approximately 20% of the total population, or 1 in 5.

If 3 or more of the warning signs listed below are present, test for Dyslexia.

Warning signs of Dyslexia in school age children and adolescents:
A. Poor handwriting
B. Letter or number reversals that persist past the end of first grade
C. Slow, labored and inaccurate reading
D. When reading out loud, tends to skip or misread small words (at, to, of), ignores suffixes, guesses based on shape or context of passage
E. Difficulty sound out unknown words
F. Extreme difficulty with spelling
G. Trouble telling time on a clock with hands
H. Math difficulty including: memorizing multiplication facts, sequence of steps
I. In spoken language, often struggles to find words. “Tip of the tongue” phenomenon. Uses a lot of generalizations such as “thingies” and “whatchamacallits”
J. Trouble remembering sight words
K. Usually does not like school
M. Trouble mastering a foreign language
N. Tends to be a slow reader – has to read things several times to comprehend it
O. Trouble with directionality

Dyslexia Testing
It is important to understand that there is not one single test that will identify Dyslexia in children and adolescents. Instead, it requires a battery of standardized tests as well as a thorough understanding of the individual’s academic and family background, as well as information regarding other conditions that can affect attention and learning (such as Depression, Anxiety, Attention Deficit Disorders) to accurately diagnose Dyslexia. Therefore, we recommend a comprehensive evaluation of the whole child, with careful consideration given to all possible causes of academic problems, prior to making a definitive diagnosis.

In our practice we place a high priority on conducting thorough and comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations. We do not conduct “cookie cutter” assessments. Instead, we take some time to get to know and understand the child’s individual struggles before deciding upon the final assessment battery. However, in almost all cases where Dyslexia is suspected, we will conduct standardized assessment of Cognitive Ability (IQ), Academic Achievement, Phonological Processing, Oral Reading Fluency, Reading Comprehension, Written Expression, Spelling, Visual Motor Skills, Attention/Concentration, Executive Functioning and Emotional Functioning. Specific measures are added or subtracted depending upon the reason for the testing. In some cases, targeted screening for Dyslexia may be recommended as opposed to a complete evaluation. We will discuss available options for evaluation and make recommendations for your particular child with you.

Dr. Maggie Wright, Susan Barton, and Denise Myers, M. Ed.

Dyslexia Tutoring
Our practice offers individualized, one-on-one reading tutoring for children, adolescents and adults who are struggling with reading, writing and spelling using the Barton Reading & Spelling System. This is an Orton-Gillingham based method, which is the only tutoring method endorsed by the International Dyslexia Association. Most individuals with Dyslexia require focused and intensive tutoring to improve their reading abilities. Tutoring services are provided by specially trained tutors at our office. The recommended frequency is at least 2 hours per week of tutoring per student. We can even provide Barton Tutoring online via Skype for students who do not live in the Louisville, KY area!

Our professional tutors also use the Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® Program (LiPS®) for students with severe weaknesses in phonological awareness/discrimination and memory, the Visualizing and Verbalizing® Program for students with weak reading and language comprehension skills, and the Teaching Writing: Structure and Style program from the Institute for Excellence in Writing for students who need targeted intervention in the writing process.

To learn more about the dyslexia tutoring services offered by The Wright Psychology and Learning Center, please call (502) 807-9551.

How to help your child become a better reader
If you have concerns about your child’s reading ability, even if his or her teachers haven’t yet brought poor reading ability to your attention, the best thing you can do is to have your child evaluated by someone experienced in testing for Dyslexia. This is because the earlier Dyslexia is identified, the easier it is to remediate, and the better chance your child has of being successful in school. Because Dyslexia impairment ranges from mild, moderate, severe and profound, often children with a more mild presentation of symptoms are overlooked until they have struggled for many years and are facing academic failure. With an incredibly high prevalence rate of Dyslexia in the overall population, (current estimates are as high as 20%), Dyslexia is a very common, yet under-diagnosed, condition.

If your child is a struggling reader, you should immediately begin remediation. Individuals with Dyslexia CAN read, but they generally need to be taught differently from individuals without Dyslexia. Your child’s school may or may not be the best place for your child to receive this individualized instruction. Private tutors, as well as specialized learning centers, offer a wide array of reading remediation services. To make matters even more confusing, there are a multitude of tutoring programs available, each promising that their program is the best for teaching children with Dyslexia to become fluent readers. The International Dyslexia Association has endorsed Orton-Gillingham based instructional methods as an effective way to improve the reading, writing and spelling of individuals with Dyslexia. At our office, we use the Orton-Gilllingham based Barton Reading & Spelling System with our students.